The Super League and National Boccia Finals took place on Sunday, 16 July 2023, at David Ross Sports Village Centre in Nottingham. The finals marked the end of team competitions for the season – PACE A & B’s fantastic results to get to this position. 

After three Super League days, playing consistently good Boccia, PACE A finished in 3rd place, putting them in good stead for the finals tournament. All they needed was to win one game to avoid relegation, and all their games to be crowned Super League Champions. 

PACE A’s first game was against Paul’s Place Barbarians for the opportunity to play in the semi-final. The A team had a big advantage due to Paul’s Barbarians being a player down. 

PACE A took full advantage of the extra player and balls, scoring 19-2 – the highest score total for PACE A in the Super League. They maximized points, using the extra player effectively, limiting the angles for Paul’s Place Barbarians to make a footprint in the match. A great result that solidifies PACE A’s position in the Super League for next season – the primary objective before the start of the season. 

There was no time to celebrate though, PACE had to get ready for a semi-final match against Southampton Solent. The two teams met earlier in the season and the A team just edged out the victory in a very close game. 

It was a fantastic match fit for a semi-final. Every end was tight with only a couple of points between the two teams throughout. Unfortunately, the key moments in the match just didn’t fall PACE A’s way. The final was 6-4 to Southampton Solent, meaning that PACE A faced Sheffield Boccia in the 3rd and 4th playoff. 

Regardless of the result in their final match, PACE A were guaranteed their highest finish. Of course, the team was solely focused on winning their first-ever Super League Finals medal. The team rubber-stamped their authority straight away with fantastic layups combined with moving the Jack Ball, creating space, and opening up the scoring circle to maximize points. It was a professional, efficient performance. A perfect depiction of PACE A’s season, and a fitting way to end the 2022/23 campaign – with a bronze medal! 

PACE B on the other hand were hoping to join the A team in the Super League for next season. The team qualified for the finals after winning the London League. 

Unfortunately, the B team came up short in the finals, despite displaying a valiant effort. In two of the three matches, PACE B was winning until the end, faltering at the last hurdle. While disappointing, the team gained a lot of experience and hard lessons which they can harness positively for next season, trying once again to join the Super League. 

This season was the most successful for PACE Boccia in its fifteen-year history. It is a testament to the hard work of all the athletes, coaches, PAs, and parents, without whom of course none of this would be possible. Thank you to everyone, and a big congratulations to PACE A!!